POMPANO BEACH, Fla., Jun 07, 2017 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- The Pompano Beach CRA (www.pompanobeachcra.com) has partnered with the Urban Land Institute to host a unique symposium outlining the $500 million investment opportunity available for developers in the Pompano Beach Innovation District. Nationally recognized redevelopment experts and invested developers will provide comprehensive details about the last 24 acres of undeveloped parcels in Broward County with prime visibility from I-95.

The event will take place on June 23 from 8 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, located at 50 W. Atlantic Blvd. Admission runs from $25-$65, tickets at: http://seflorida.uli.org/events/.

"The Pompano Beach Innovation District is one of the most exciting development opportunities in South Florida," stated Emily Marcus, Project Manager with Redevelopment Management Associates, which manages the Pompano Beach CRA. "The Innovation District already has anchors and assets including three major cultural facilities, a culinary and tech industry presence, proximity to the Pompano Beach Airport, and contiguous access to over 30 million square feet of industrial space."

The symposium will feature over 15 esteemed speakers who will provide strategic insights about developing this prime location including Mitchell Weiss, now a Harvard lecturer, who was the Chief of Staff under Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston.

Mitchell will lead a session on how Boston used their public clout to launch their Innovation District and how the city of Pompano Beach can benefit from their experiences. In the afternoon, he will entertain roundtables of local stakeholders, business leaders and elected officials to share his depth of knowledge to assist the city in adopting a sound approach to building the area.

The CRA's reinvention of the original downtown is already visible with the transformation of the Ali Building and the Bailey Hotel into vibrant arts and culture venues. In addition, they spearheaded the plans for building the Pompano Beach Cultural Center and Library, which recently opened and the building of the City Vista apartments. Two new residential projects are also in the planning to permit stage, and multiple restaurants and retailer are scheduled to open in 2018.

The CRA has created a master plan for the 38-acre site, where 24 acres are owned by the CRA or the City. This plan is designed around a linear waterway system - narrow drainage canals between the parcels - to replace conventional man-made lakes that take up lots of space for drainage and result in suburban development patterns. This plan not only helps to free up more property for development but establishes an urban and walkable environment. This model is based upon similar linear waterways in locations such as San Antonio, Texas and the Netherlands.

Recent land use and zoning updates have made it possible for this type of development to take place in the downtown. The innovation district can accommodate approximately 750,000 square feet of office space; 165,000 square feet of retail; 35,000 square feet of restaurants; 1,500 residential units and two hotels with a combined 420 rooms.

For a complete list of speakers and topics please visit: http://seflorida.uli.org/events/.